Unit 2105
Category: skeleton dug in 1997
Area: North
Interpretive Categories: skeleton
Data Category Information: none
Dimensions: 0.35 m long, 0.20 m wide
Discussion: Articulated skeleton of a baby / infant. Child is lying on its back with its legs tucked up in front of it and pointing north, though the top of the skull is crushed and has split along it suture lines, the post-cranial bones are relatively well preserved.
During the initial cleaning of the skeleton, Basak noticed several small beads, there proved to be dozens (and ultimately hundreds) of those small beads, all approx. 3 mm wide (max!). Most had a polished blue-black outer surface, but 3 white shell examples and 1 red (coral?) beads were also recovered. It was initially thought that these were anklet bracelets as they were concentrated around the left and right tibia and fibia, but subsequent excavation discovered clusters of beads around the right knee, and on top of the right ribs. Three strings of beads were discovered running across the right humerus and looping around where the neck would have been.
Either these beads were sewn onto the child’s clothing (if it was buried in any), or they were part of a long necklace which was looped around the body and limbs of the baby / infant. This latter option seems the most likely. They were also below the right tibia and fibia. When the skeleton was partially excavated, the ribs, spine and pelvic bones were all revealed. Two rows of beads were lying beneath the left ribs, including at least three white limestone / coral examples which were together on their row. The beads on the right of the skull were actually lying on top of the right scapula. Those lying across the right ribs had actually slipped in between the rib bones, presumably as the flesh and or any clothing rotted away.
Several sketches of skeleton with beads in situ included with this unit sheet.
AMC 19/8/97: Description with isometric projections: Based on this I would argue that 2 strings at least were wrapped around the shoulders and neck, whilst a third string went from around the shoulder down to the ankles, possibly after being looped around the right knee. One long looped bead string should have been capable of this.
2007-Sample taken for C14 (left femur)-BA (15/08/2011)
Condition: dry, windy, warm
X and Y of Targets: Target A - X: 0; Target A - Y: 0; Target B - X: 0; Target B - Y: 0; Target C - X: 0; Target C - Y: 0; Target D - X: 0; Target D - Y: 0
Body: fully articulated, lying crouched but on its back. Rough N-S orientation. Slightly twisted onto its left side
Head: skull - complete but crushed, more or less facing north. It is level
Right Arm: flexed outwards, and right hand is near right foot
Left Arm: straighter and runs alongside and underneath left ribs. Left hand is near pelvis
Right Leg: bent at knee into a crouch, right foot is above pelvis
Left Leg: also bent at knee, and like right leg it is above the body. Foot is above pelvis.
Other comments: articulated baby / infant skeleton. though some bones were disturbed and / or crushed or damaged, this skeleton was remarkably well preserved.
Surface Modifications:
Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field):
Dry sieve volume: 0
Total Deposit Volume: 0
Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 6
Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 4
Number of Related Diary Entries: 0
Settlement Phase:
Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): Unassigned at present
Associated Hodder Level (from Space): Unassigned at present
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Finds Room Information:
All material from site passes through the finds room for washing and separating before it is passed onto the various lab teams. The finds room keeps a basic inventory of what is found. A finds material type list is given here. Further analytical detail maybe provided by the Lab Team data below.
X Finds Material: nothing recorded
Finds Material Stored: nothing recorded
Lab Team Data
Please note the list below does not represent everything that might have been found in this Unit, but represents the datasets we have available on-line. Please ArchaeoBots Sample Recorded: No Ceramic Records: No Clay Object Records: No Chipped Stone Records: No Conservation Recorded: No Faunal Records: Yes
Count of records:: 1
Unit description: F1 is a shell pendant from the burial, repaired after breaking through perforation. Last number = 1Figurine Records: No GroundStone Records: No Heavy Residue Records: No Microfaunal Records: No
Sorry not all of this data is available online at present, please contact us if you are particularly interested microfauna recordsPhytolith Sample: No
Sorry not all of this data is available online at present, please contact us if you are particularly interested phytolith samplesDownload this Units Data
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